Reasons for Breast Reduction Surgery

I know a few women who had breast reduction surgery to ease the discomfort of being overly endowed. I read with interest physician Jennifer Walden’s Medscape Blog “The Case of Tennis Star Simona Halep: Why Do Women Seek Breast Reduction Surgery?: Medscape Connect”  (posted 6/12/2009). I think that this is useful information for other women who might be considering it and for the people (probably, mostly of the male persuasion) who might think that it’s a crime against nature. Walden said,

London press release on May 29th went like this: “Junior French Open champ Simona Halep is set to undergo a surgery to reduce her 34DD boobs. The 17-year-old feels they are a disadvantage and has vowed to have a reduction later this year. “The breasts make me uncomfortable when I play,” the Sun quoted her as saying.”It”s the weight that troubles me – my ability to react quickly,” she added. However, fans of the Romanian tennis player didn’t seem too happy with her decision. They flocked to sign an online petition: Save Simona Halep Boobs. One stormed: “It will be a crime against nature.”

Simona Halep, as you may or may not know, is from Romania and is a budding Junior tennis player. She is ranked #258 in the world. She won the Junior French Open tennis tournament in 2008, and although not yet fully developed as a professional, she reached the second round of the qualifiers for the Senior French Open in 2009. In May 2009 she received widespread media attention all over the world for expressing her desire to go through breast reduction surgery in order to perform better on the tennis court. I found it surprising to read on blogs and sports pages online how much fans and readers did not understand the purpose and benefit of breast reduction surgery. Comments ranged from disgust to outrage to frank misunderstanding of what the indications and outcomes are for breast reduction surgery.

Constant back and neck pain, gouges in your shoulders from bra straps, difficulty with clothing fit, and deteriorating posture and an inability to participate in certain activities rank among the common complaints of women with large breasts. Breast reduction surgery (reduction mammaplasty) may help relieve these symptoms. As technology advances, more women are seeking consultations from plastic surgeons to discuss options for adjusting their breast sizes to a healthier and more comfortable level. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, more than 104,000 breast reduction surgeries were performed in 2006. Breast reduction is often considered a medically necessary treatment due to its interference with the activities of daily life and physical symptoms, so third party payors and referrals from primary care physicians are often involved. […]

Women can have breast reduction surgery at any age, but it’s generally advisable to wait until you’re at least age 17 or 18, by which time your breasts are likely to be fully developed. However, sometimes surgery is performed in teens who suffer significant emotional and psychological effects of having too-large breasts (called juvenile breast hypertrophy).  Patients are often advised that if they want children and wish to breastfeed, they may consider postponing breast reduction surgery until afterwards. Changes to breast tissue during pregnancy could alter your surgical results. Also, after the surgery, breast-feeding may be difficult. […]

According to MayoClinic.com “Breast Reduction Surgery: Decrease Breast Size, Ease Discomfort” indications for breast reduction surgery include:

• Chronic back, neck, and shoulder pain
• Poor posture
• Skin rash under the breasts
• Deep grooves in the shoulders from bra strap pressure
• Restricted levels of activity
• Low self-esteem
• Difficulty wearing or fitting into certain bras and clothing